Upgrading Tank

[korin123456789]

hi all i've been reading up on here the best way to tranfert a tank into a new one. I just want to be sure i'm going about this the right way. From what i understand i have to take the mature sponge cut it in 2 place half in the new filter and rest in old filter and this is where i get a little confused (i don't want to have to recycle) do i put each filter with old media in each tank or both in the same one, and then transfert everything (water,deco,gravel) into new tank with the fish
Right now in my 5 gl tank i have a mini pleco,apple snail and 2 guppies (been running for about 3 months)
i want to make sure i do this right i've had enough casulties
help please

 

[Kaylee]

Do not transfer your fish to the new tank right away. Yes, put some media in the new tank from your old tank, like half of your filter into the new filter or just drop it into your tank and let it run. If you have gavel in ur old tank take a couple of scoops out and put it in ur new tank. Your new tank will have to cycle, or u will loose ur fish due to amonia. Once you have transfer some of ur media to the new tank feed ur tank with fish food morning and night. In a couple of days do some testing, nitrate, nitrite,ph, and amonia. When u do water changes from ur old tank put that water into the new tank. Remember a tank has to get dirty before it can be clean, meaning cycling. Once ur tank seems to be doing good add a fish, and in a couple days if the readings are still good, add another and so on. Hope i helped, it is even a slow process transfering it as it is starting out with ur first tank.

 

[backtotropical]

Sorry Kaylee, you've done it again.

If you want to keep both tanks running, Korin, then yes, take some media from the old filter and put it into the new filter.

I get the feeling that you want to transfer everything into the new tank. Is that correct?

If so, transfer everything across, water, filter, gravel, fish, everything.

If necessary, top up with fresh dechlorinated water. Hey presto, an instantly cycled new tank.

 

[korin123456789]

Do not transfer your fish to the new tank right away. Yes, put some media in the new tank from your old tank, like half of your filter into the new filter or just drop it into your tank and let it run. If you have gavel in ur old tank take a couple of scoops out and put it in ur new tank. Your new tank will have to cycle, or u will loose ur fish due to amonia. Once you have transfer some of ur media to the new tank feed ur tank with fish food morning and night. In a couple of days do some testing, nitrate, nitrite,ph, and amonia. When u do water changes from ur old tank put that water into the new tank. Remember a tank has to get dirty before it can be clean, meaning cycling. Once ur tank seems to be doing good add a fish, and in a couple days if the readings are still good, add another and so on. Hope i helped, it is even a slow process transfering it as it is starting out with ur first tank.

mmm does anyone else have an opinion on this because what KAYLEE is saying is kinda opposite to most of what i have read on this site do i really have to cycle the tank again if i'm tranfering everything into new tank

Sorry Kaylee, you've done it again.

If you want to keep both tanks running, Korin, then yes, take some media from the old filter and put it into the new filter.

I get the feeling that you want to transfer everything into the new tank. Is that correct?

If so, transfer everything across, water, filter, gravel, fish, everything.

If necessary, top up with fresh dechlorinated water. Hey presto, an instantly cycled new tank.

Thanks backtotropical, great info just wondering if i decide to keep my old smaller tank going(cloning the filter) does it have to recycle or same process as what you already explained

 

[backtotropical]

Can you give me a bit more info on exactly what you want to do? It takes ages to explain all the possibilities.

What fish do you have just now?
What size tank?
What size is the new tank?
Do you want to keep the old tank running, or strip it down and maybe start it up again later?
What fish would you have in the old tank if you kept it running?

 

[korin123456789]

Can you give me a bit more info on exactly what you want to do? It takes ages to explain all the possibilities.

What fish do you have just now?
What size tank?
What size is the new tank?
Do you want to keep the old tank running, or strip it down and maybe start it up again later?
What fish would you have in the old tank if you kept it running?

As for what size and fish was mentionned in my first post 5 gl to 20 gl ''Right now in my 5 gl tank i have a mini pleco,apple snail and 2 guppies (been running for about 3 months)
well all my fish would be going in my 20gl but i thought it was good to keep the smaller one going in case i need quarantine tank, if by cloning the filters i would have to recycle the tanks I would rather just put everything in the big one and get the smaller one going again later on
what do you think?

 

[backtotropical]

Sorry Korin, forgot the sizes. Not got my head screwed on today.

Ok, so you want to put everything in the 20g and keep the 5g as a quarantine tank.

Move everything to the 20g like i said before. Keep the 5g running with a pump but you don't need it to be cycled because (heres the clever bit)

If you need to use the 5g as a quarantine tank, just take say 1/4 of the media out of the filter on the 20g and put it into the filter on the 5g. Stick the appropriate fish into the 5g. Easy.

Just be aware that when doing this, the filter on the 5g would only be able to cope with 1/4 of the waste that the 20g coped with (because you only moved 1/4 of the media).

Also, just keep an eye on ammonia levels in the 20g for a few days after, just in case, but everything should be absolutely fine.

Hope this helps.

BTT

 

[korin123456789]

Thanks backtotropical with your input the switch should go well
keep ya posted

 

[Tolak]

Remember that less food in means less waste produced. There is a chance of loosing some of your nitrifying bacteria during the move, but in a mature filter this bacteria can double in 24 hours. Don't feed for 24 hours before the move if you have adult fish, or lightly if dealing with juvies or fry. Feed lightly for the next few days, and everything should work out fine.

Everything backtotropical suggested is on the money, I do this all the time with angel fry, from a 2.5 gallon hatching tank to a 20 or 29, then on to a larger tank over time.

 

[Daveyg1969]

Do not transfer your fish to the new tank right away. Yes, put some media in the new tank from your old tank, like half of your filter into the new filter or just drop it into your tank and let it run. If you have gavel in ur old tank take a couple of scoops out and put it in ur new tank. Your new tank will have to cycle, or u will loose ur fish due to amonia. Once you have transfer some of ur media to the new tank feed ur tank with fish food morning and night. In a couple of days do some testing, nitrate, nitrite,ph, and amonia. When u do water changes from ur old tank put that water into the new tank. Remember a tank has to get dirty before it can be clean, meaning cycling. Once ur tank seems to be doing good add a fish, and in a couple days if the readings are still good, add another and so on. Hope i helped, it is even a slow process transfering it as it is starting out with ur first tank.

mmm does anyone else have an opinion on this because what KAYLEE is saying is kinda opposite to most of what i have read on this site do i really have to cycle the tank again if i'm tranfering everything into new tank

Sorry Kaylee, you've done it again.

If you want to keep both tanks running, Korin, then yes, take some media from the old filter and put it into the new filter.

I get the feeling that you want to transfer everything into the new tank. Is that correct?

If so, transfer everything across, water, filter, gravel, fish, everything.

If necessary, top up with fresh dechlorinated water. Hey presto, an instantly cycled new tank.

Thanks backtotropical, great info just wondering if i decide to keep my old smaller tank going(cloning the filter) does it have to recycle or same process as what you already explained

Yes you do have to cycle again, but old water and old media will cut down on the cycling time significantly.
Also adding something like 'Filter Start' to the filter will help.
I would also transfer the old filter over and run 2 filters for the first couple of weeks also.

 

[korin123456789]

Well the move when great even if it was a 10gl instead of a 20gl, but my little friends all seem very happy at the extra room
the water is nice and clear.0 amonia so i think all should be good
So i should wait at lease a week or 2 before i add new fish?
thanks

 

[backtotropical]

Yeah, keep an eye on ammonia levels for a few days just to be sure.

If all is well in, say, 1 week, then add some fish. (not too many!)

Glad the move went well.